A Snowy Winter Solstice
Winter Solstice dawned with the promise of a white Christmas. Five inches of snow dropped overnight, with more predicted on Christmas Eve.I relish the silence of the solstice as I shoveled out and wandered down to the mailbox. There's lots to take...
Owl Tree Topper Experiment
A few years ago, I turned my Joyful Owl into a tree topper that now sports a jaunty red scarf. This gray-colored owl looked sweet on past trees, but not this year's Christmas tree, which has a more natural white, green, and brown theme. What to...
Downeast Thunder Farm Red-Capped Mushroom
This little mushroom is a departure from my normal designs. I was inspired by some mushroom Christmas ornaments I spotted while shopping last weekend with Hannah. It made the perfect project for Sunday afternoon football watching. Enjoy! Download...
The Watchful Winter Snowman
This year, I welcome December with a new Snowman design. I used some tiny birch twigs for arms and various size buttons for the eyes and buttons. Mix up the colors as you wish. This makes a nice Christmas tree ornament or present decoration....
Thankful
Thanksgiving dawned wet and dreary in Downeast Maine. It was a quiet day filled with baking and birdwatching from the sofa.This Thanksgiving was particularly poignant for me because it was also Mom's birthday—the second one we've spent without her....
Melville the Dachshund Felt Ornament
Melville, the mini dachshund, was the first dog that Paul and I welcomed into our new family shortly after we married. Also known as “Bud” or “Little Buckeroo,” he was as loveable as he was a challenge. The spots on my wall-to-wall carpet in that...
The Sleepy Snowy Owl
Visiting Dad in Pennsylvania presents an opportunity for shopping–or, more accurately, window shopping–every day. I think there may be more stores per square mile in his town than in the entire state of Maine. I spied a snowy owl on a floral pick...
Downeast Thunder Farm Petal Christmas Tree Video
Here's a short video of the assembly of my felt Downest Thunder Farm felt Christmas Tree. Download the free pattern or the kit for purchase here.
Downeast Thunder Farm Petal Christmas Tree
This Felt Petal Christmas Tree idea has been sitting in my "someday" file for years. I found some craft cones from my mom's stash of supplies, so I began experimenting with various petal sizes and gluing methods before I settled on this final...
October Northern Lights
The northern hemisphere has been experiencing a period of high solar activity for the past few days. As we've had cloudy skies and rain, I didn't think much about going out to try to see them like I did in May. Only after seeing a friend's pictures...
Farewell Summer
The long days filled with sunshine have flown by, leaving me wondering where the summer has gone. In some ways, I feel the summer has passed me by, busy with work and life, but visiting my photos reminds me of the wonderful moments had. A June...
In Search of The Great Pumpkin
At our house, this seems to be the year of the pumpkin. Hannah has had fun tending to her tiny pumpkin patch this summer and has begun harvesting. Orange ones. Big ones and little.Gray ones and warty ones. Her wish for this month included a visit...
An Unexpected Visit
It is a foggy, damp, overcast day here in Maine. Snuggled up on the porch under a blanket with Murphee, I heard a scary commotion from Doodle Duck in the pond. I tossed the blanket aside and hopped up, ready to do battle. It was not her normal...
Monarch Release
This morning, Hannah and I visited with our friend, Christina, who runs a Monarch Hatchery. On our first visit to Kvetina Hatchery, she was set up in a couple of tents. This year, she upgraded her setup with a little cabin–one side dedicated to...
Birthday Weekend Shenanigans
Hannah spends much of the summer in Brunswick for work. She's made it home a time or two, but I wouldn't say I like the idea of her spending her birthday alone. She has to work on her birthday (a Monday this year) so I made the trip to Brunswick...
A Wet Landing
On this first day of my staycation, I wandered the yard in my PJs, enjoying my coffee and just being. A "plop" and then a "buzzing" sound startled me. Looking about, I finally spied this dragonfly who landed in my thankfully tepid coffee.Stunned, I...
Sleepy Bees
I'm not a wonderful gardener, but I've made a bit of effort to have a few annuals, perrenials, and wildflowers around the house. Yet my favorite blossoms this time of year as the lavender is fading are the oregano and marjoram blossoms. And I have...
Summer ’24 Auction Entries
Each summer, Women for Healthy Rural Living (WHRL) holds a dual auction–a raffle (which runs in person July 26-27) and an online silent auction (running now through July 28th). The fun thing about the online silent auction is many smaller items can...
Night Moves
One of the things I love about living in the Maine woods is that we see (and hear) lots of wildlife. You've seen my bird and deer photos, but here's a recap of some of our nocturnal visitors over the years. Missing is a Moose (Paul didn't snap a...
Mom’s Lilacs
One of the most cherished gifts I've received from my mom are the tiny lilac transplants from her garden. They bring such joy when they bloom each June.Mom planted these Dwarf Korean Lilacs around a tree in her front yard. As they began to spread,...
A Bird Buddy
Last year, when I was feeling particularly low and searching for a bit of joy, I splurged on a Bird Buddy. It's a bird feeder with a solar-powered camera that captures backyard visitors. When it arrived, Paul reconfigure a pole for this little...
The Gregarious Bobolink
Here's another design from last fall languishing in my files: the Gregarious Bobolink. I found him a difficult one to get accurate in felt! Enjoy. Note: if you're reading this in your email, click "Continue Reading" at the bottom to visit the blog...
Monhegan Island
Monhegan island, ten miles from the mainland shore, ocean views galore. Weathered cottages, shingled and nestled in time, dirt roads winding through. Nature hikes, solace, time with my girl, new adventures, peaceful solitude. Five joyful days spent...
The Playful Purple Martin
This Playful Purple Martin has been on my drawing board for ages. I finally finished him a couple of weeks ago. I struggled with just the right felt colors. I'd love to see what you use for yours. Enjoy! Note: if...
Northern Lights Downeast
News of a solar storm and the possibility of seeing the aurora borealis in Downeast Maine had me antsy. Last night, I slept through it. This evening, I stumbled across the Space Weather Prediction Center's 30-minute forecast, which predicted the...
